New Media Rights files comments with CPUC on AT&T T-Mobile merger

New Media Rights, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse and UCAN have submitted comments to the CPUC on the proposed AT&T and T- Mobile merger. All three groups feel that this merger would have serious effects on consumer protection- including prices and choice of carriers, telecom jobs, innovation, broadband access and network discrimination.

The CPUC investigation of the merger is a great opportunity for YOU to get involved by attending California public hearings and workshops to speak up about how this merger would effect you. To better understand it's implications on your phone bill, local and national media landscape, as well as jobs in your community, we will be publishing our simple Merger Factsheet next week.

Here are the TABLE OF CONTENTS for the attached document:

I.    Introduction. 1

II.   Reduced Competition Will Lead to More Gatekeeping and Less Innovation. 2

A.   AT&T uses its gatekeeping role to stifle innovations in voice telephony and control the way consumers access the internet 2

B.   AT&T enables its partners to control the way consumers access the internet 3

C.   AT&T’s broader history of censoring speech and use of its network. 5

D.   AT&T’s past spectrum bids illustrate an unwillingness to embrace innovation and openness. 5

E.   The effects of increasing AT&T’s power as a gatekeeper by granting this merger. 6

F.    T-mobile’s role in encouraging competition by openness to innovation. 7

G.   The effect on consumers who rely solely on wireless broadband. 8

III.  The Impact on Consumers: Reduced Service Offerings, Price Competition, and Customer Service Quality  10

A.  Prices and Services. 11

B.  Carrier Practices. 13

IV.  Market Dominance and the Harms of Duopoly. 20

A.   The emerging duopoly and the U.S. experience with over-concentrated markets. 20

B.   Mexico as an example of the high prices and stagnation that arises from market over-concentration  21

C.   The United Kingdom and other countries as examples of the benefits of competition. 22

V.   Consumer Privacy. 23

VI.  Conclusion. 23